Camera modules are widely used in various mobile terminals, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and laptops. Conventional camera modules are often formed by first attaching a chip of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor on a printed circuit board (PCB). Then, a holder is used to hold an infrared (IR) filter. The holder and the IR filter together are bonded with the image sensor by a dispensing process. Finally, a motor and a lens are mounted on the holder.
Problems arise, however, because the image sensor attached to the PCB is directly exposed to the ambient environment and its photosensitive area may be easily contaminated during packaging. Such contaminations may cause imaging defects. In addition, after the image sensor is attached to the PCB, the holder with the held IR filter may then be bonded with the image sensor. The design of structure and size of such holder is thus constrained.
The disclosed image sensor modules and their methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems in the art.